Tag: creativity

“Earth our bodies, Water our blood, Air our breath, and Fire our Spirit”. Each 4th Saturday of the month from April through August, we will explore our relationship to a specific element and how it connects us to our Selves, all that is around us, and the Divine. Using creativity, intuitive experiences, ritual, sound baths, and guided visualizations, I will guide each participant to a deeper understanding of life as a Divine Elemental Be-ing having a human experience.

In this session, we will call on Spirit. Spirit (Ether) is the symbol of the present in all things, the changeless, space, connection, joy, balance, harmony, soul, and union. Connect to Divine Feminine energy found in the Lady and Queen- empowering and loving. Connect to the Mystery and the Void. But most of all, connect with your Divine Elemental Self.

Register by calling Radiance at 717-290-1517. Call for price (save by registering for all 5 events in advance!)

Cost includes all art supplies and materials. Bring a lunch, a journal, and a small object/picture to represent your connection to the element for our monthly altar. Dress comfortably (slippers welcome!!).

“Earth our bodies, Water our blood, Air our breath, and Fire our Spirit”. Each 4th Saturday of the month from April through August, we will explore our relationship to a specific element and how it connects us to our Selves, all that is around us, and the Divine. Using creativity, intuitive experiences, ritual, sound baths, and guided visualizations, I will guide each participant to a deeper understanding of life as a Divine Elemental Be-ing having a human experience.

In this session, we will call on the element of Earth for Wisdom. Earth is the symbol of abundance, manifestation, groundedness, growth, the ancestors, fertility, and connection. Connect to Divine Feminine energy found in the Wise Woman (Crone), Gaia, Demeter, Persephone, and Rhiannon. Connect to cow, bull, horse, bear, ant, and other beings of the earth. But most of all, connect with your Divine Elemental Self.

Register by calling Radiance at 717-290-1517. Call for price (save by registering for all 5 events in advance!)

Cost includes all art supplies and materials. Bring a lunch, a journal, and a small object/picture to represent your connection to the element for our monthly altar. Dress comfortably (slippers welcome!!).

“Earth our bodies, Water our blood, Air our breath, and Fire our Spirit”. Each 4th Saturday of the month from April through August, we will explore our relationship to a specific element and how it connects us to our Selves, all that is around us, and the Divine. Using creativity, intuitive experiences, ritual, sound baths, and guided visualizations, I will guide each participant to a deeper understanding of life as a Divine Elemental Be-ing having a human experience.

In this session, we will call on the element of Water for Trust. Water is the symbol of the emotions, twilight, receptivity, dreaming, synchronicity, the cleansing, healing, purification, and compassion. Connect to Divine Feminine energy found in rivers, oceans, and all bodies of water. Connect to whale, seal, frog, swan, dolphin, and other water beings. But most of all, connect with your Divine Elemental Self.

Register by calling Radiance at 717-290-1517. Call for price (save by registering for all 5 events in advance!)

Cost includes all art supplies and materials. Bring a lunch, a journal, and a small object/picture to represent your connection to the element for our monthly altar. Dress comfortably (slippers welcome!!).

How does our sacred connection to the Fire element deepen our relationship with our Selves and those around us? What can Fire teach us? How do we weave together the wisdom of the past with the wisdom inside us?

In this session, we will call on the element of Fire- focusing on Passion. Passion fuels our desires and inspires us to move forward with strength and courage. It is the fire within that motivates us to manifest what we want more of in our lives. It is the Fire that burns what no longer serves so we can rise like a phoenix from the flames. Fire warms and comforts. Fire transforms. Fire clears space and burns away what no longer serves. Fire symbolizes all of these things and more!

Fire is the symbol of creativity, the will, love, sexuality, strength, courage, action, and power. Connect to Divine Feminine energy represented by goddesses of the sun, volcanoes, ritual fire, hearth fire, creation, and destruction. Connect to the energy of phoenix, dragon, snake, coyote, and fox. But most of all, connect with your Divine Elemental Self.

Using creative warmups, ceremony, a sound bath, visualization, and an intuitive painting process that I guide you through step-by-step. When you are finished, you will have created a Fire element painting with deep personal meaning. The activities and experiences that form this workshop can become part of your spiritual practice. No art experience needed.

Register by calling Radiance at 717-290-1517.

$75 includes all art supplies and materials. Bring a lunch, a journal, and a small object/picture to represent your connection to the element for our monthly altar. Dress comfortably (slippers welcome!!).

“Earth our bodies, Water our blood, Air our breath, and Fire our Spirit”. Each 4th Saturday of the month from April through August, we will explore our relationship to a specific element and how it connects us to our Selves, all that is around us, and the Divine. Using creativity, intuitive experiences, ritual, sound baths, and guided visualizations, I will guide each participant to a deeper understanding of life as a Divine Elemental Be-ing having a human experience.

In this session, we will call on the element of Air for Clarity. Air is the symbol of the intellect, imagination, birth, rebirth, freedom, and the breath of life. Connect to Divine Feminine energy found in sky, the dawn, rainbows, springtime, and youth. Connect to winged beings honored by ancient cultures. But most of all, connect with your Divine Elemental Self.

Register by calling Radiance at 717-290-1517. Call for price (save by registering for all 5 events in advance!)

Cost includes all art supplies and materials. Bring a lunch, a journal, and a small object/picture to represent your connection to the element for our monthly altar. Dress comfortably (slippers welcome!!).

At 11:40am, I will be speaking on the topic of Creativity Reduces Stress. Speaking from experience, I can share the benefits of how an intuitive, creative practice has provided balance, enhanced self-worth & empowerment, & connected me to my inner wisdom. The techniques I use can help you “Come Home to Your Self”.

Feel free, empowered, and supported in the beautiful Moonstone Manor! Experience a sound bath, guided meditation, and an intuitive painting practice- immersing yourself in sound, energy, and color. Be guided to a place where you can courageously “Rise Above” whatever is weighing you down, holding you back, or causing you to feel stuck. Paint your wings and give yourself permission to SOAR!

$125 cost included all supplies (except a 24×30 or 24×36 inch canvas), lunch, and beverages. Click on Brown Paper Tickets to register.

Winter Solstice is the darkest time of the year and holds the promise of the returning light. This workshop, held at the magical Moonstone Manor, is the sacred space to connect with your Inner Wise Woman. Identify limiting beliefs and replace them with new, expansive beliefs to guide your coming year. Gain insight through activities such as guided visualization, intuitive art experiences, meditation, and ritual. Creativity and intuition illuminate the path back to self.

Several months ago, Marcy, my acutely perceptive Tarot Reader, spoke of the struggle we each have balancing our analytical, logical side with our intuitive, LOVE-centered side at different times throughout our lives. This is especially true when we are in the midst of great change. The masculine aspect of ourselves, associated with action, wants to DO something. The feminine aspect of ourselves just wants to BE.

The back of Balance- Animus

Logic

Marcy used the image of a uniformed guard putting great effort into “protecting” a stone building. He held a flag and took his job very seriously… to the point of exhaustion… not realizing that this much effort wasn’t really needed. The guard represents my logical side- some call it the masculine, ego, thought, left brain, or animus.

The front of Balance- anima

Intuition

At the same time, in this vision, a sleek female cat-burglar was sneaking past him into the building. She wasn’t gloating but she was definitely amused that she was able to sneak passed him undetected. Some call her the female, Intuition, spirit, heart, right brain, or anima.

The Illusion

It’s an illusion to think each, acting alone, will be beneficial. They both need to stop their “game playing”, truly SEE each other, and know that when they unite, they will be able to fulfill their true purpose- provide balance.

Marcy saw the cat-burglar go outside and make the first gesture toward connection. He wasn’t able to do it; he was too focused on his duty to guard and protect. The guard didn’t realize that by joining forces with her, it would free them both.

She embraces him and he literally lets his guard down- weeping and awakening at the same time. The cat-burglar, too, realizes the need for unity to fulfill their symbiotic roles.

Balance: masculine and feminine supporting one another

What is fascinating to me, beyond Marcy’s skill as a Tarot reader, is that this message was already coming to me loud and clear through my creative expression.

Creativity

Creativity is where I’m most comfortable letting go of expectations and outcomes, allowing my Intuition to guide the process and analysis to follow. Intuition communicates most clearly through imagery, synchronicity, dreams, and most often my art.

Possibilities

The beings in both my sculpture and my colored pencil drawing depict the positive effect the unity of masculine and feminine energies can have when they are in harmony.

Return of the Bird Tribes

Ken Carey, in his book Return of the Bird Tribes, explains, “In a healthy state, the ego is a secondary component of identity…the Great Spirit is experienced as your primary sense of self….When your ego stops trying to do everything all by itself, and invites eternal spirit into your consciousness, your historical illusion evaporates like mist on a sunny morning. A polarity reversal takes place in the charge of your human envelope. The field of consciousness around you changes. Instead of your ego dominating your sense of identity and blocking your awareness of the Great Spirit, an eternal sense of self awakens within you. You know yourself as a projection of the Creator of all the stars in the sky. You know yourself as one of a family of god-beings, sharing God’s Being. You remember. Everything is seen differently. The world is perceived anew through the eyes of a universal awareness. Your ego becomes your working partner, and you commence the conscious creation of a new human reality.”

Our Outer World Mirrors Our Inner World

Marcy went on to explain that our outer world mirrors our inner world. Relationships with others and our experiences inform us of the times we are living in balance and when we are not. Balance, for me, feels like greater clarity and flow, bring to mind words like Trust, Allowing, and Surrender. When the masculine and feminine are out of balance, I feel discord between my heart and throat chakras- the centers for love and communication. To come back to center, I have to form a harmonious partnership between the rigid, analytical aspect that is most comfortable “DOING” and the intuitive, heart-centered aspect that finds comfort in “BEING”.

Seeking Balance

Seeking balance between Doing and Being, I treat myself with greater compassion, gentleness, and kindness. In my Tarot reading, Marcy saw the cat-burglar make the first move toward the guard. By holding him in her arms, she represents taking a LOVE-focused approach.

My intuitive art practice, meditation, connecting to nature, and time for dream-filled sleep entwine these two aspects of my Self. From this place of unity, I can move forward with greater grace, serenity, confidence, and love. That’s when I know I’m on the right path.

Journal Writing Had Limits

I developed my intuitive art journal practice after years of working in written journals and traditional art journals. For many years, I faithfully recorded my thoughts in a notebook every morning. It was full of entries that explored the same issues and concerns, day after day after day. I became frustrated. I already know what weighed on my mind and made me feel like I was spinning my wheels in mud; I wanted guidance.

Interestingly, I knew the answers were within me, I just couldn’t access them this way. I came to the conclusion that the process of writing sentences kept me in my left brain, the linear and analytical half. This hemisphere is very helpful for planning a budget and making decisions but not so helpful when I want to get in touch with the source of my own wisdom, my intuition.

An Art Journal Was the Next Step

I turned to my art for answers. Art journaling gave my right brain freedom to fly into areas my left brain wouldn’t dare to go. The right hemisphere of the brain is in charge of creativity and artistic expression. It wants to play, explore, and be adventurous. I splashed colors on dry surfaces and watching as colors flowed into one another on wet surfaces. Then, I grabbed spray inks, stencils, stamps, water-soluble crayons, and bits of paper to layer and create different effects. It was fun and relaxing. I explored colors, compositions, and subject matter that made their way into artwork I exhibited and sold.

Like a written journal, an art journal has a purpose and I value it when my intention is to experiment and discover. But there was still an aspect of myself that hungered for something more. I longed to integrate my artistic side and my logical side in a way that honored my uniqueness and opened me to deeper inner knowing.

Intuitive Art Journal Practice

My intuitive art journal practice is one way I awaken my authentic self and access the wisdom I already possess. By weaving together ritual, meditation, guided visualization, and artistic expression with what I learned from spiritual guides, artists, and writers along the way, I am able to tap into information that has always been available to me. I just had to learn how to access it. Intuitive art journaling is a sacred process that allows me to hear the quiet voice within. The piece above, Accept and Love, is one example of the messages I receive when I’m open and willing to surrender to my higher Self. In other words, I allow the process to inform me. I become my own guide.

Do you have a practice that allows you to awaken your authentic self and receive wisdom?

This week, I’m sharing how “saying yes” in my creative process awakens possibilities beyond the realm of intellectual decision-making. Last week’s blog post “Saying Yes Leads to the Next Yes” explored how opening to possibilities in life as they speak to me on a soul level, can create space for profoundly wonderful things to happen. The same is true with my artistic process. Sometimes, I start with an idea or sketch which makes its way to the canvas or paper. Other times, I like to sit in the stillness and wait. Rather than put my idea on the surface, I want to see what will reveal itself to me. Being receptive rather than being “in charge”. Allowing rather than controlling.

The sketch for “Awakening” came when I allowed music to guide my process.

INSPIRATION THAT AWAKENED MY CREATIVITY

Several weeks ago, I decided to do something I had never done before. This isn’t news. I love trying new things! Sounds of Spirit was performing nearby and I had the opportunity to attend. I had never heard of them before but their website intrigued me so off I went with a sleeping bag, my journal, and a water bottle. It was a spiritually moving and creatively inspiring experience. The group uses a rich variety of instruments, nature sounds, and human voices to transport the listeners to a different place. The outward experience of being in the space with them led to an inward journey for many of us in attendance. I was so deeply moved that I bought their CD and listened to it over and over as I worked in my art studio.

During the creative process, I have to allow each bold choice to guide me to the next choice.

ALLOW MYSELF TO BE A CHANNEL

On the day I created the sketch above, I turned up the volume on my CD player and let the music wash over me and through me. I kept my eyes closed until imagery started to appear. Then, I opened my eyes and simply transferred those images to the paper. I felt like I was a channel not a creator at that point. I said “Yes” to one image, which informed the next, which informed the next. I allowed the process to happen freely without interference from my analytical mind or pesky inner critic.

I started with the 3 large repeated shapes in the background. Then, the larger seated figure wanted to appear. Then, little images around her began to tell their own story. These figures informed the border and smaller symbols around the edges. Each “yes” lead to the next “yes”. The same thing happened when I chose my first color to wash over the larger areas. Each choice naturally flowed into the next.

BEING BOLD MEANS BEING VULNERABLE

Who said being bold meant being confident or certain? Not me! Having the courage to be bold is also having the courage to be vulnerable and exposed. Being bold doesn’t mean I’m always going to get it right in art or in life. It means I have the courage to try. There is a measure of risk in creating art that is a genuine reflection of who I am and where I am on my journey. There is even greater boldness and vulnerability in allowing others to see it. For I’m aware that those who truly look at my art with open minds and hearts will have the ability to catch a brief glimpse inside the soul of the artist.

The finished mixed media piece titled Awakening is the result of saying yes to creative possibilities.

AWAKENING

After many hours in the studio and many layers of pencil, gouache, and ink, AWAKENING was complete. I was awakened to the possibilities created by saying one “yes” after another. I hope this piece awakens something in you, too.